Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the
world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to
over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a
wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history,
humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced
features available, you will need to register first. Registration is
absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Last year during testing... the kids had all finished their tests, and Sensei was saying something about getting photos developed "so I can send them out to all the testees." Then he glances around at us all and adds, "I mean, the people who are taking the test." All the adults start laughing uproariously... I don't think the kids got it though!

This past weekend I went to the Spring Seminar at Cornell University. It was a good class, but after ~3 hours of training, I may have been more tired than I thought I was. Plus I went to the party Saturday night. I live 20+ miles from Ithaca, so two round trips in one day works out to almost 100 miles worth of driving. That's half way from where I live to New York City. And after I got home, I stayed up until 3 AM, mostly surfing the 'net.

Sunday, just when I got down there, I found myself slightly nauseous with a headache; I've recently learned that's a sign of fatigue, since I sometimes can push myself when I don't feel tired. So I left my stuff in a locker and went upstairs to watch. When they broke after 45 minutes, I decided I was sick of watching and would participate in the last half of the class; I would rest if I got tired. I went down to the locker room, got my back pack out of the locker, and realized I could not have trained if I watned to. Why?

I'd forgot my gi pants.

I had the jacket and the belt, but I'd forgot the pants! Even more incongruous, my MA uniforms are on hangars in my house's laundy area; I had looked RIGHT AT the pants and hadn't even thought of taking them down!

Maybe on Sunday morning, I was still pretty tired.

But I probably won't make THAT mistake again! (There are others, I'm sure.)

It was just after taking my black belt examination, many years ago NOW and I had had such a good day I blitzed the exam feeling really good about myself, chatted up this really cute girl who was watching, got the date wow i was in heaven, going out side of the dojo it was raining I met the girl out side so I decided to show of how fast I was and run to the car, well I got to the curb on the other side slipped over and ended up under my car I don't have to say I did not go out on the date in fact every one still laughs about that day and that was like over 25 years ago

Oh, so many wonderful doh's! You've had me roaring with laughter when readin this thread!

Some of my doh's:

#1 One of my fellow aikidokas had just passed his 3:rd kyu exam and came to the dojo the next day and was going to wear his hakama for the first time. In the dressing room I saw a little white tag sticking out from his hakama and asked him if that should be on the outside. He looked at it, and then at me with a face filled with gratitude! "What if I had gone out on the mat, wearing my hakama inside out!?!". He took of his hakama turned it so the tag ended up inside instead. When we get onto the mat someone suddenly points at his hakama and says "Should the seams be on the outside?", he looks at his hakama and a horrid expression crosses his face. I look at his hakama and start laughing uncontrollably while trying to explain to all the others why he had his hakama inside out. The funniest thing of it all was that I realised in that same moment that we all would remember his first day on the mat with his hakama -- inside out!

#2 Our sensei takes pride in using me as uke for all techniques that involve pressing on pressure points, since I'm very sensitive to them. When ever I hear him say yonkyo my arms start to twitch. But this day, the day after I had passed my 3:rd kyu exam and was going to be uke to sensei for the first time, we were doing some ryokatadori techniques. There are some of them where you hold the shoulders and nage goes down behind you and lifts up your legs (don't remember the name right now), and suddently he said: "But if uke presses nage down, there are several other options, like this" and he promptly lands one of his nuckles on my foot, in that little space right above, and between, two of my toes. It hurt like hell and I fell over on the mat, screaming like a little girl (no offense to girls, but my voice was really, really high pitched!). And I who really tried to look cool and macho in my new hakama! Much amusemed ensued from the onlookers!

#3 The #2 story has been told in our dojo many times, so almost everyone has heard it. Well, 1 year after, on another seminar with our sensei, we were doing suwari waza techniques. He is saying something like "And then you can also do this!". I'm looking at him, perplexed, because he had not indicated what attack I should be using, and he just motions me forward. I hear people start chukling, but I'm still oblivious to what comes next. When I slide forward, what does he do? He plants his nuckle on my foot! And down I went, screaming in the same high pitched voice! Oh how the people roared in laughter!

I have many of my own Doh's but first I would like to share one from one of my partners. This occured in a Judo class. Everyone was paired up and doing rondori. I was a Yon Kyu but with my Aikido experience I was paired up with a Shodan. He is one of those overly competitive go all out no retreat no surrender kind of guys. I'm holding my own against him. My judo technique is not up to his level but I am no push over either. He makes his move, enters in for Harai Goshi, a sweeping hip throw. With a yell that can be heard in the next county he gives it everything he has. The only problem is he had zero kuzushi. So I'm just standing there dumbfounded, for about 5 seconds while he is pulling on me screaming like a madman on one foot and attracting the attention of everyone on the mat. I finally twist and sweep his supporting leg and drop him like a sack of potatoes. I then get a standing ovation from everyone in class, even the Sensei. It wouldn't have been so bad, had he not made such a production.

When I first started training (which was not that long ago - less than a year. I'm a newbie!), it was just after the birth of my second child, whom I was breastfeeding. I would place absorbant cotton nursing pads in my sports bra before going to training to prevent any milk from staining my gi.

During ukemi practice one of my nursing pads flies out and lands right in front of another student, a childless guy who probably knows nothing about the woes of lactation. As nonchalantly as possible, I retrieve it, turn away briefly, stuff it back into my bra, and continue rolling.

I'm not positive he noticed, but if he did, I'd bet he's still wondering why that crazy beginner stuffs her bra for Aikido!

#1 Several years ago I trained at Frank Doran Sensei's Redwood City dojo which was between my office in San Jose and my home in San Francisco. On Sundays, I practiced at a small dojo nearer my home, because I didn't want to travel to Redwood City on the weekend and Bob Nadeau Sensei's dojo didn't have Sunday practice. At this time, I had only been studying Aikido for a few months. At this third dojo was a very cocky brown belt. One day, in what should have been a very gentle roll, he forced me into a breakfall, and at the same time pile drove me into the matt. As my shoulder popped, it could be heard across the dojo. I had gotten up from the matt to continue practicing. Both the instructor and the brown belt had horrified looks on their faces. The instructor ordered me to stop practicing. I was partly in shock and partly numb (the pain had not yet begun). My arm was in a sling for a few months after that.

#2 A couple years ago I was working in Singapore and attending a dojo near my corporate apartment. AwYong Sensei used to enjoyed having me Uke when demonstrating how effectively Aikido works on big Americans. One Saturday, he was demonstrating Nikyo and other wrist preassures. My wrists have almost no fleximility. We sat in seiza across from each other as he would apply the preassure. Each time I let out a huge yell as he brought me to the matt (it was so painful). I would rise and he initiated another preassure. For about fifteen minutes this was repeated, my yelps getting louder. Once I glanced over to see the younger children sitting on the sideline in horror. Once the preassure was removed, there was no pain, but the brief duration when I was in the hold was excrutiating and I'm certain that the sounds I made were hideous. My tiny classmates didn't look at me as so threatening after that day.

3 Fast forward to the present. I now practice at a dojo near my home in Denver. Sensei had me uke with a katatori. I was tired and did not know what move he was intending. When he did throw me, I forgot to let go of my katatori. While I was in motion, and without thinking, I executed a one handed hip throw (I studied judo when I was eleven). Both Sensei and I ended up on the matt looking somewhat stunned. I also tore his gi. He prefaced his next demonstration with, "and if Uke proves to be as obstinate as David can be, then you can do this..." and proceded to wipe the matt with me.

A few years ago I walked into class late… as usual. I tripped over the fan by the door and as I fell grabbed the nearest thing for support. That thing was the very unsteady shoe rack. It knocked over with shoes everywhere. After picking all of the shoes up, I sat down on the couch… forgetting that my weapons case was still sling over my shoulder. Everyone heard a loud bang as my weapons case knocked the stained glass sign against the window. Luckily I didn't break anything. Except my ego. From that day forward I was no longer a badass but a ditsy klutz. Oh who am I kidding I was never known as a badass.

.... I now practice at a dojo near my home in Denver. Sensei had me uke with a katatori. I was tired and did not know what move he was intending. When he did throw me, I forgot to let go of my katatori. While I was in motion, and without thinking, I executed a one handed hip throw (I studied judo when I was eleven). Both Sensei and I ended up on the matt looking somewhat stunned. I also tore his gi. He prefaced his next demonstration with, "and if Uke proves to be as obstinate as David can be, then you can do this..." and proceded to wipe the matt with me.

LOL! That was funny.

Reminds me of something similar but less dramatic. When I came back to Aikido three years ago, I was doing ikkyo (I think) and one of us stood up a little when he wasn't supposed to. (On refelction, I'm not sure it was me, although ti could have been, but then why did he work on my partner? Anyway,) Sensei saw it, came over and said -- friendly smile and all -- "If he stand up, you can do this....." and slammed my partner down with a sumi otoshi. (See? Now Im not sure whose mistake it was, but as a result of making that correction,) Sensei was very pleased -- my mistake had inspired him! When he demonstrated the technique, the woman next to me said, "My husband is expecting me home alive." Fortunately, all of us new people could use a basic sitfall to take ukemi.

Fast forward to a few months ago. I don't remember exactly what technique it was, but when Sensei came over to correct us, and he spun away so forcefully I could not hang onto him! I don't have the strongest grip in the world to start with, and he spun out of it. "And if he lets go," he said, "you can do something else." Next thing I knew his hand was in my face and the tatami was greeting my backside. Again.

I suspect this would definitely take the cake... (Not by me, but I was present...)

Sensei as uke to someone to show how uke can do a reversal... Nage standing on a hakama... And sensei does a nice forward roll ukemi... But both his hakama AND gi pants get left behind... Thank goodness sensei wore long-hemmed gi jacket...

I suspect this would definitely take the cake... (Not by me, but I was present...)

Sensei as uke to someone to show how uke can do a reversal... Nage standing on a hakama... And sensei does a nice forward roll ukemi... But both his hakama AND gi pants get left behind... Thank goodness sensei wore long-hemmed gi jacket...

Oh yeah, that gets cake! Got any pictures???

B,
R

Ron Tisdale
-----------------------
"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)

kicking a 6'2 1st dan in the head and trying to tell him why it's his own fault
he was knelt on one of my feet and expected me to go flying across the tatami, it half worked, half of me started to fly, kicked him in the head and he did the rest of the flying
and there's the "don't you like sensei turner?" from the head of the organistation at my last jj grading, i was phsyced up to be throwing someone much bigger and more awkward to throw and then got JT who's lovely, but only the same size as me (about 5'6ish) and i know i can throw him and, well, he sorted went flying, even on techniques where he should only leave contact with me to fall to the floor
i apologised, i did, he laughed at me

doing a technique against 2 attackers, both bigger than me, i moved back to bring them within range of my effectivness, course it didn't work too well as i'd stepped off the tatami, got confused at the carpet under my feet, lost my balance and fell over.
then started giggling
wasn't laughing later when i had matching bruises on each arse cheek, which got interesting comments from the boyfriend every day till they faded

We are currently training for grading,white and yellow, and I was practicing for yokamanushi irimi nage (Spelling not right I suspect) , somehow though my nose connected with my partiners elbow causing me to stagger backwards and just about stay in my feet.

The guys elbow was fine, my nose was fine but now guess who is typing this with an icepack on her nose. DOH! Still I got a laugh out of it, as are my parents as the icepack is actually a wrapped up icelolly....

... Me and my brother are both second kyu and our sensei is 5th dan, and our sensei had asked me and my brother to take the warm-up.
as we were walking towards the tatami i looked at my sensei and realised his gi was inside out i quickly told hom and he ran straight back towards the changing facilities, me and my brother didnt quite know what to do so we carried on walking and took the warm up.

I had a friend testing for sankyu, and he was doing zenpo nage. His uke, a rather skinny guy, took his foward roll. Somewhere in the middle of the roll, fate decided that his pants would no longer stay around his waist, and when he stood up they stayed around his ankles.

A couple of years ago we had a very funny incident while teaching a new kyu 6 how to breakfall from a technique. My partner and I were taking turns taking ukemi from the student as he got the feel for what motions he was expected to perform. After his first few falls with me throwing my partner and I switched places and he provided some instruction based on what he had seen the student do. Sometime during this apparently both became confused as to who was throwing whom and before I could run and grab a camera (I really would have loved to get a shot of this) they basically threw each other and ended up on the mat still holding onto each other with one hand but in a perfectly symmetrical landing with respect to each other. It's one of the funniest things I've ever seen, we're just glad no-one was injured.

ok, I have an aikidoh to share. About a week ago, I was attending the kids class (as a warmup for the adult class), and sensei called me up to be uke to demonstrate a technique. It was a simple throw and roll technique, but on the third time, my foot caught in his hakama mid-roll, and sent my forehead into the mat. My head slipped underneath my body (being lubricated by my hair), my foot broke free of the hakama, and I flopped over in a summersault fashion. I was okay, with just a bruise on my forehead and upper back, and a slight headache. About half the class was laughing when I stood up. Sensei said that was the first time somebody has tripped over his hakama

Last year I was practicing kaitenage with this kawaii Japanese girl who I had asked out earlier that day (she said "yes"). At that time, we were both 5th kyu students just trying to learn the correct form and motion of the technique. So we did it step by step. As in, #1: Nage steps to the side and forward, away from the line of attack; #2: Nage does this and that; and so on and so forth.

Finally we got to the part just before I was supposed to throw her. She bent down, ready to roll forward as soon as I "threw" her. As soon as I began to step forward into the throw, she started her roll.

Unfortunately she never got to complete it because I accidentally stepped on her hair, effectively stopping her movement and causing her to cry out in pain. I apologized profusely and asked if she was ok.

For a moment, I was afraid that

a.) our date was officially over before it even started

or

b.) we still had a date, but the accident was an ill omen foretelling a disaster of some sort.

Thankfully, neither scenario happened. We still went out after practice and really hit it off.

Last year I was practicing kaitenage with this kawaii Japanese girl who I had asked out earlier that day (she said "yes"). At that time, we were both 5th kyu students just trying to learn the correct form and motion of the technique. So we did it step by step. As in, #1: Nage steps to the side and forward, away from the line of attack; #2: Nage does this and that; and so on and so forth.

Finally we got to the part just before I was supposed to throw her. She bent down, ready to roll forward as soon as I "threw" her. As soon as I began to step forward into the throw, she started her roll.

Unfortunately she never got to complete it because I accidentally stepped on her hair, effectively stopping her movement and causing her to cry out in pain. I apologized profusely and asked if she was ok.

For a moment, I was afraid that

a.) our date was officially over before it even started

or

b.) we still had a date, but the accident was an ill omen foretelling a disaster of some sort.

Thankfully, neither scenario happened. We still went out after practice and really hit it off.

well.... i didnt tied my pants for my uniform correctly so when i was with these bunch of girls to practice techinques. (i was forced to work with girls) when one of the girls pin me to the ground my pants went down.... yes it went down and the girls where starring at me.... it was soo embrassing